Best Friend
by tyrannybrown
Summary: Ranma and Akane are finally together! But, you can't have flowers without the rain. Who does Ranma turn to when he and Akane are having problems? Includes some OOC moments.


Disclaimer: I hold no claim to the Ranma 1/2 franchise, nor do I own the song 'Bestfriend' by Musiq, even though I wish I did.  
  
Note: Words surrounded by asterisks (*) are song lyrics.  
  
e.g. *jjkkjllh*  
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
  
-Best Friend-  
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
  
Summary: Ranma and Akane have finally, after doing some growing, admitted the mutual feelings that they have. They are actually contemplating marriage (on their own). Ukyo has finally gotten over Ranma, knowing that he and her will be nothing more than just good friends. She has also come to terms with Ranma and Akane's relationship, and after a period of emotional distress, also learned to love someone, Ryoga. Now that everyone's cool with pretty much everyone else, Ranma and Akane start to revert back to their old ways, of name calling and such. Soun and Genma see this, and in the best interest of the two schools, ask Ranma to talk to someone before all the progress that was made is undone. He agrees, and to whom does he turn?  
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
Ranma stood outside Ucchan's, not wanted to interrupt the scene he saw through the wide window. He could almost smell the familiar aroma of okonomiyaki wafting throughout the air, even though Ukyo wasn't currently at the grill. She sat on the counter, smiling and talking quietly with the guy in the seat below her. Ryoga. He laughed periodically and went to eating every once in a while. The shop was mostly empty, with a few stragglers still eating and talking, but it wasn't at all busy. A nice afternoon and no one at Ucchan's. Seemed like the perfect day to... eat. Ranma sighed in spite of himself.   
  
"Food! No wonder Akane's mad at me." He looked down at his watch. Ucchan look so..." He glanced once more in the window, "Happy." He sighed once again.  
  
"I'm out here sighing and talking to myself. People must think I'm crazy." He chuckled sadly to himself and opened the restaurant's door. The little bell jingled softly and Ukyo looked up. Ryoga turned around and smiled.  
  
"Hey Ranma, we still up for sparring later?"  
  
"Only if you can find the spot!" Ranma said jokingly.  
  
"Hey!" Ryoga said and got up to shake Ranma's hand.  
  
"Ran-chan, what's up? Want an okonmiyaki?" Ukyo asked, as she grabbed her spatula.  
  
"Actually, Ucchan, I wanted to talk to you."  
  
"Oh?" Ukyo raised an interested eyebrow.  
  
"Got a problem?" Ryoga asked, interestedly. Since he had gotten with Ukyo, he and Ranma had become better friends, it made sense, since they weren't fighting over the same girl anymore.  
  
"Actually, yeah. It's kind of about Akane, or women in general."  
  
"I understand that one. But, I am the expert." Ryoga said, Ukyo gave him a dubious look, but ignored him.  
  
"Well, have a seat. You sure you don't want an okonomiyaki?"  
  
"Positive." Ranma said. Ryoga smiled.  
  
"Me, on the other hand, I'll have one. Please, Ucchan?" He pouted a bit. Ukyo hit him over the head playfully.  
  
"No, and only my friends can call me 'Ucchan'."  
  
"Aren't I your friend?" Ryoga asked, incredulous. He rubbed his head. Ranma chuckled slightly.  
  
"You're my boyfriend, idiot, there's a difference. But just because I like ya, you get one." She said. After a few seconds, Ryoga had a okonomiyaki steaming and sitting in front of him. Ukyo waved goodbye as her last customers left, and settled down.  
  
"So, Ran-chan, what's up?"  
  
"Well, it's about Akane. *Now a days, I don't understand*, why my love doesn't love me like she used to before. Now lately the sun just doesn't shine, and my paradise... Is gone.*"  
  
Ryoga nodded understandingly.  
  
Ranma continued, "*Coz most of the time, we argue and fight over things that don't really matter. Lord knows that I tried to give all my love*" He paused once again, and sighed, much to his own disappointment, but he couldn't help it.  
  
"*So what should I do?*" After Ranma said this, Ryoga nodded once again.  
  
"Well, I think-" Ryoga started.  
  
"Honey, I should probably handle this." Ukyo interrupted, "Ranchan, *You've got to understand, it's all about give and take. You can't be so demanding, things won't always go your way.*"  
  
"But-"  
  
"Lemme finish. *If you just give it time, and think about her feelings, then things will work out fine, learn to make her your best friend.*"  
  
"That makes sense," Ryoga pointed out.  
  
"*I hear what you're saying, but* Akane, *she's always complaining and blaming me for things I never do.*"  
  
"She STILL does that?" Ryoga asked, chewing a bite of okonomiyaki in his mouth.  
  
"Yeah, *and I don't know what it is that I did that was so wrong to make her feel I'll ever be untrue to her*. Like I said, *Coz most of the time, we argue and fight over things that don't really matter. Lord knows that I tried to give all my love. What should I do?*"  
  
"Honey, can I take this one?" Ryoga pleaded.  
  
"Finish eating. And no. Ranchan, maybe you aren't hearing me.*You've got to understand, it's all about give and take. You can't be so demanding, things won't always go your way.If you just give it time, and think about her feelings, then things will work out fine, learn to make her your best friend.*"  
  
"I still-" Ranma began but Ryoga cut him off.  
  
"*See what you need to do is, stop catching attitudes and just try to take time and hear her out.*"  
  
"That's true, and Ranchan, * stop being so defensive and try to be more attentive *-" Ukyo was cut off by Ryoga.  
  
"*Show her you respect what she's talking about.*"  
  
"Whoa, Ryouga, when'd you become the expert?" Ranma asked. Ukyo crossed her arms and looked at Ryoga, daring him to say anything.  
  
Ryouga glanced sideways at Ukyo, then smiled a fangful grin. "I've been around the way a few times."  
  
"What?!" Ukyo exclaimed, then swung at Ryoga's head with her huge spatula. He ducked, and smiled once more.  
  
"*Coz you know how us women can be. And when we feel threatened we react instinctively.*" Ukyo continued.  
  
"Like you just did?" Ryoga said.  
  
"Shut up. *When our emotion has grown to it's high we can tend to let it just control our lives.*"  
  
Ranma chewed on this thought in his head for a bit. "I really, don't think it's my fault, but....* All right, I'll try next time, I'll try a little tenderness. Even make sure I give her more complements. Maybe I could practice being more patient. And compromise for my baby.*"  
  
"There you go!" Ryoga shouted. "Ranma, *if you want her in your life, then you've got to be willing to try.*"  
  
Ukyo smiled. " *See, it's worth the struggle. Coz in the end, she will always be your best friend.*"  
  
"That's how we get along." Ryoga said.  
  
"Well...." Ranma thought for a second. In all his twenty years of life, Ranma never would have thought he'd have to get advice on relationships from Ryoga and Ukyo. "Well, guys.... I'll have that okonomiyaki now."  
  
"Nuh uh." Ukyo said.  
  
"No?" Ranma asked confused.  
  
"Ucchan's is closed, Ranma. I think you need to get on home." Ryoga said. Ukyo walked around to the front of the counter and put her arm around Ryoga.  
  
"Go back to your best friend."  
  
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
  
A/N: I think the song 'Bestfriend' by Musiq, is really good. His whole CD, Juslisen, is really good. So go out and buy it!  
  
(Shameless Advertising)  
  
Anyway, if anyone is wondering, no the characters are not (for the most part) OOC. Except, where Ranma says "Lord knows that I've tried" I'm pretty sure he wouldn't say that. Ryoga, I'm almost positive he wouldn't be an expert on women, and would be listening just like Ranma, but I just thought it would be sort of funny. Once again, I think they are just older and more... mature.  
  
Adieu! and Review! 


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